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First English Newspaper of Azad KashmirWed, 01 Jun 2016 11:18:37 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1PM to lead nation soon after recovery: Tallal Chaudryhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/pm-to-lead-nation-soon-after-recovery-tallal-chaudry_0611621.html
http://www.dailytelegram.net/pm-to-lead-nation-soon-after-recovery-tallal-chaudry_0611621.html#commentsWed, 01 Jun 2016 11:13:14 +0000adminhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/?p=11621Read more »]]>Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of National Assembly (MNA) Tallal Chaudry Wednesday said that the Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would lead the nation soon after his health recovery.
Talking to a private news channel, he said by the blessings of Allah and prayers of the nation he would recover soon.
He said the opposition only want to implement minus-Nawaz Sharif formula. As a human being, they should get their senses and not cast doubt on PM’s health.
“The previous government had destroyed the national institutions for five years owing to their failed policies.So, I think we would overcome the outstanding issues till 2018”, Tallal said.
It is the Nawaz-led government which initiated National Action Plan across the country. “I say it categorically, our government is working against the corruption and not a single minister of the incumbent government was accused of corruption or embezzlement of funds”, he urged.
But on the other hand, many politicians from other parties were arrested and also remanded into NAB’s custody on corruption charges, he added.
Talking about Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, he said: “he is our parliamentary leader and we all know that Chaudhary Nisar’s loyalties have always been with the Prime Minister”.
According to Talal, PM Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz overlooks only the matters pertaining to the PML-N and does not chair any session of the government, adding that she even not playing any role in state’s affairs.Scridb filter]]>http://www.dailytelegram.net/pm-to-lead-nation-soon-after-recovery-tallal-chaudry_0611621.html/feed0Democracy is essential for country’s development : President Mamnoonhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/democracy-is-essential-for-countrys-development-president-mamnoon_0611616.html
http://www.dailytelegram.net/democracy-is-essential-for-countrys-development-president-mamnoon_0611616.html#commentsWed, 01 Jun 2016 11:08:34 +0000adminhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/?p=11616Read more »]]>President Mamnoon Hussain Wednesday (today) addresses a joint session of the Parliament, a constitutional obligation for beginning the new parliamentary year.

He stated that only democracy could make lasting development possible. Mamnoon Hussain said that democracy had been successful during the past three years. In order to have lasting progress and development, democracy was necessary, he said. He further, urged the government to chalk out policies for the strength of democracy and prosperity.

He also said that Pakistan was playing a facilitator’s role in peace between peace talks between the government of Afghanistan and Taliban.

In his address, the President shed light on the performance of the PML-N government as well as the challenge of extremism and terrorism faced by the country and the achievements made by the security forces in this regard.

The president hoped that targets of the Zarb-e-Azb operation will be achieved by the end of this year.

To pay tribute to martyrs, he suggested construction of a national monument containing names of all those martyred in the war against terrorism.

The President highlighted the steps taken by the government to improve the economy and presented way forward to overcome energy shortages.

“Pakistan recorded a GDP growth of 4.7 percent, which is a positive indicator,”he said.

He further shed light upon various ongoing development agenda’s particularly the construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Mamnoon Hussain in his address reaffirmed the country’s commitment towards good relations with the neighbouring countries for peace and stability in the region.

The president highlighted Kashmir issue, saying that peace in the region could not be restored without resolution of the dispute.

The President said Pakistan has a foolproof security system of its nuclear arsenal. He dismissed the impression of any security loophole.

The President’s address to the Parliament’s joint sitting will mark the beginning of the fourth parliamentary year of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) government.

The President’s address to the joint parliamentary session at the advent of a new parliamentary year is mandatory under clause no.56 of the constitution.

The joint session of the parliament today was chaired jointly by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani.

The session was attended by Chiefs of armed forces, Chief Ministers (CM) and Governors of all four provinces and Prime Minister (PM) Azad Kashmir, Member of the National Assembly(MNA), Member of the Provisional Assembly (MPA) and foreign diplomats.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, who underwent a cardiac surgery in London on Tuesday, was expected to return to Pakistan within three weeks after the doctors allow him to travel, his daughter Maryam Nawaz said.

Talking to various private television channels on Tuesday night, Maryam Nawaz said the Prime Minister was successfully operated upon for the heart ailment and according to the doctors this surgery would make him healthier.

To a question, Maryam Nawaz said his father was a brave man and leader and had faced many ups and downs in the life with courage, adding those who thought that they could get anything done of their choice by bringing him under pressure were badly mistaken.

She said according to the doctors the Prime Minister, after this surgery, would be healthy and his performance would further improve.

To another question, Maryam Nawaz said that Nawaz Sharif was his father as well as his leader. “Before the operation, I talked to him and he was in high spirits,” she added.

Maryam also thanked the people from different walks of life including the political workers and leaders for their prayers and well wishes for the Prime Minister.

Maryam Nawaz while responding to a query said the political opponents of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif were hatching conspiracies as they were afraid of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N’s) development agenda, which would bring in a major change in the lives of people and eliminate load-shedding by 2018.

She said with its people-friendly policies and an agenda of improvement in every sector including health, education etc., the PML-N was moving ahead and would not be detracted by non-issues.

To a question, Maryam Nawaz described as a ‘good omen’ the health wishes extended by leaders from across the political divide, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. “When it comes to the health or life issue of anyone, politics takes the back seat,” she remarked.

Maryam Nawaz said the Prime Minister was fine after the surgery, which continued for around four and half hours and doctors continued to update the family members, including her brothers who were present at the hospital, about his health condition.

To a question, she said the doctors had advised surgery after his angiography.

In response to another question about the political activities including public rallies by Nawaz Sharif despite the heart ailment, Maryam Nawaz said he did not know about the seriousness of the problem at that time.

To a query, she expressed the hope that owing to the development work, the PML-N would win the 2018 general election as well.

As Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif convalesces after a heart surgery at the Harley Street Clinic of London, the affairs of the federal government are being run by his close comrades as the premier had divided the responsibilities among Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, while Maryam Safdar is also shouldering part of the responsibility, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.

Prime Minister House spokesperson Muhayuddin Wani has said that in the absence of the prime minister, the affairs of the federal government are being discharged “as per the provisions of the constitution”.

“There is no change and matters are being decided by the prime minister as per routine,” he said, and added, “Chief Staff Officer to PM Nabeel Awan is there in London to assist the prime minister in the official affairs. The chief security officer and other necessary staff are also with the premier as per routine,” he added.

Asked how the affairs were being run while the prime minister was unconscious, Wani said there was not much difference between a routine sleep of 8 hours a day and the unconsciousness during the operation.

He said that the prime minister would discharge routine affairs despite his stay at London.

“The prime minister signed the budget documents and the same sealed packet was received on Tuesday morning and were sent to the officials,” he added.

THE TRUIMVIRATE:

An informed source in the government said that prior to his departure for London, the prime minister had divided the workload at the PM House among Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and his daughter Maryam Safdar.

“The finance minister will oversee the affairs relating to finance, legislature and executive besides dealing with the ongoing talks with the opposition regarding the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the Panama commission. Chaudhry Nisar will be responsible for security related issues while Maryam Safdar, along with a team of bureaucrats will take up the emerging issues,” the source added.

Another key minister told Pakistan Today that the decision by the prime minister to delegate his powers to Senator Dar and Maryam Safdar had irked Chaudhry Nisar, who had boycotted the recent meeting of the federal cabinet in protest, the source said.

The source added that Nisar was hoping the prime minister would delegate his powers to him alone as was the case when Nisar oversaw all the affairs of the PM House when prime minister had gone to Turkey and London recently.

“Nisar chaired all important meetings in the absence of the premier recently but this time around, Dar has been entrusted with key decisions,” the source added.

Wani, however, does not agree with any of this.

“First, the interior minister had himself informed the cabinet in advance about his absence due to some other engagements. Second, I am not in a position to speak on behalf of the interior minister,” he added.

Wani was of the view that ministers miss cabinet meetings due to other engagements and there was nothing suspect about the absence of the interior minister.

He, however, agreed that the affairs had been divvied up between Dar and Nisar.

“During the next three days, the finance minister will be overseeing the issues related to the budget session while Chaudhry Nisar will be responsible for internal security issues as per routine,” he said and added that the prime minister will be kept abreast of all the important developments.

ISLAMABAD: At least six people were killed when a powerful earthquake rocked parts of Pakistan on Sunday, officials said. Five people died in various remote regions of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement, and at least 20 homes were damaged. One man was killed in the northern region of Gilgit-Baltistan when he was hit by falling rocks in the town of Chilas, an official said. The 6.6-magnitude quake struck neighbouring northeast Afghanistan at a depth of 210 kilometres (130 miles) at 2:58 pm on Sunday. It was felt in the Afghan capital Kabul 282 km to the south of the epicentre and in Islamabad, where some residents evacuated apartment blocks after tremors shook ceiling fans and furniture. In the Indian capital New Delhi, buildings in the centre swayed and the metro train system was halted temporarily. Tremors were also felt in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan which borders northern Afghanistan. Last October a 7.5-magnitude quake ripped across Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing almost 400 people and flattening buildings in rugged terrain that impeded relief efforts.

Scridb filter]]>http://www.dailytelegram.net/death-toll-from-k-p-quake-rises-to-six-officials_0411580.html/feed0There’s a way to get around bar council’s rules but it will cost an extra millionhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/theres-a-way-to-get-around-bar-councils-rules-but-it-will-cost-an-extra-million_0411574.html
http://www.dailytelegram.net/theres-a-way-to-get-around-bar-councils-rules-but-it-will-cost-an-extra-million_0411574.html#commentsMon, 11 Apr 2016 07:22:22 +0000adminhttp://www.dailytelegram.net/?p=11574Read more »]]>

In January this year, the Pakistan Bar Council announced substitution of the conventional three-year program with a mandatory five-year LLB program. Furthermore, evening classes were scrapped and the number of students was limited to 100.

These steps were taken to improve the worsening situation of legal education in Pakistan and for regulating the law colleges and institutions.

At present, three different LLB programmes are being offered in different institutions of Pakistan. The traditional 3-year LL.B is opted by majority after BA. The 5-year LL.B (Hons) is less than a decade old and is offered to those who have passed their intermediate or A Levels. Few are aware of the lesser-known, highbrow LLB (Hons) External Programme which bestows upon a UK degree while studying from the comfort of one’s home and hearth.

The price, however, is way higher than the local ones. Roughly the degree costs around Rs 1.5 million if done without any academic mishap. The expenditures include University of England fees, tuition fees paid to the local school one is enrolled in, examination fees that is paid separately, and other miscellaneous expenditures.

On the other hand, a 3-year LLB degree costs around Rs 200,000 including the university fees, tuition fees, books etc. The evening classes give an individual opportunity to pursue a degree after his or her day job.

A highly-placed government law officer told Pakistan Today on condition of anonymity that Pakistan Bar Council and Punjab Bar Council are suspicious of local degrees, adding that whenever a holder of foreign degree comes to them, their inferiority complex engulfs them and they give undue regard to the person.

Most of these graduates of external programs know nothing about the laws, conventions and procedures of Pakistani law. It seems that the bar councils are hell bent to prohibit law education while what they really need to do is make the license procedure more rigorous, the source added.

The decision of PBC directly affects the poor and middle class segments of the society. They are prolonging the duration of the degree by two years, slashing the evening classes, limiting the number of students while leaving loopholes that allow the elite to circumvent all the rules and regulation with sheer disdain.

The institutes that offer three-year LL.B Honors from University of England-External Program include Pakistan Law College, Roots College International, TILS, University College Lahore, School of International Law, and University College, Islamabad.

Majid Bashir, a corporate lawyer and senior associate ABS & Co, when asked about this discrimination said, “The whole scheme is made without paying any heed to ground realities.

“The scheme is not feasible as many private law colleges affiliated with local universities can’t afford to provide faculty for 100 students alone. The ban on evening classes is unjust as one who wants to study must not be barred in any way. The regulations are an attempt to muffle affordable legal education to masses. We are transferring education to foreign lands by such daft steps. The way to maintain an overall check and balance is to make the bar examination tough. The criteria and procedure of getting a license must deter non serious elements from getting licenses to practice.”

Mushtaq Mohal, Advocate Supreme Court and former member Punjab Bar Council said: “There should be no discrimination based on class, creed, economic status, social stature or any other basis. The decision to scrape off 3-year law while allowing the same degree can be allowed to be done from a foreign university external programme is invidious at best. Article 25 of Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equality of citizens before law has been trampled by this decision.”

Pakistan Today contacted Advocate Abdul Fayyaz, member and Chairman Executive Committee, Pakistan Bar Council and asked about the matter.

”It is our resolve to improve the quality of legal education in the country. We have warned that after 2018 we won’t accept any lawyer who has not done a 5-year mandatory law. We will make sure that our rules and regulations are followed.”

When asked about the 3-year LL.B external program, he said, “We are clear about our stance. After 2018 we won’t accept degrees given by any university. We will take action across the board.”

Says Altaf confessed after Scotland Yard received evidence that a written agreement existed between RAW and MQM

Says British govt briefed former interior minister Rehman Malik about Altaf’s links with RAW “a couple of times”, but Malik went and told Altaf about the investigation and told him he would intervene to stop charges against Altaf

Britain’s former deputy head of Mission in Karachi Shaharyar Khan Niazi has claimed that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s leader Altaf Hussain voluntarily told the British government that he worked for the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Shaharyar Khan Niazi worked for the British High Commission in Karachi for over a decade but importantly he remained at the heart of the policy-making as far as Britain’s dealing with the MQM was concerned during the most crucial period – from 2010 until 2013 – after he was promoted to the position of Deputy Head of Mission.

In his first interview since he left post in the middle of 2013, Shahryar Khan Niazi said that Altaf Hussain confessed to his involvement with RAW during a high-profile diplomatic meeting in late 2011/early 2012. Niazi claimed that the British government and Scotland Yard had received evidence that a written agreement existed between the MQM and the Indian premier spy agency RAW.

The former UK diplomat is privy to crucial information and was witness – as well as being part of it – to the sensitive and important communications, which went on between the UK authorities and the MQM.

According to Shahryar Khan Niazi, there is evidence linking Altaf Hussain with the Indian government.

“The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) is well aware of the fact that Altaf Hussain has links with RAW.”

When asked what the evidence was that the UK had regarding Altaf Hussain’s links with RAW, the former deputy head of mission said: “There is a lot of evidence but let me share with you the most important one. Firstly, a member of Her Majesty’s diplomatic service officially called on Altaf Hussain in 2011/12 and during the meeting Altaf Hussain voluntarily confessed and accepted that he worked for RAW.”

“Secondly, there is evidence that Altaf Hussain’s team facilitated contacts between the RAW and Baloch insurgents. Altaf’s team helped bring the two together.”

“Thirdly, there are financial trail of links with the RAW; and fourthly, confessional statements about these links exist and one of these has been leaked already, there are on-the-record interviews and confessions. What has come out in the public domain so far is only the tip of the iceberg.”

The former deputy head of mission made the most damning revelation that Altaf Hussain and his team had a documented agreement with RAW and the police had evidence of it.

“Altaf Hussain and his team have a Service Delivery Agreement with RAW. Basically, an agreement as to what Altaf Hussain and his team will deliver for the RAW. There are communication exchanges, including emails. This evidence was found by Scotland Yard during the murder investigation of Dr Imran Farooq and the money-laundering investigation.”

The former top diplomat made a startling revelation that the then interior minister of Pakistan under Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s government Rehamn Malik was briefed by the British government that Altaf Hussain had links with RAW.

Shaharyar Khan Niazi said: “Rehman Malik was briefed officially by the British government about Altaf’s links with RAW a couple of times”.

Shahryar Khan Niazi also said there was “credible information to suggest that the Interior Minister (Rehman Malik) met Altaf Hussain and told him that he had spoken to the British Home Secretary (Theresa May) and that on his (Malik’s) intervention all the police investigations concerning the MQM leader would be terminated and all charges would be dropped against Altaf Hussain.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday telephoned his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and expressed his shock and grief over the death of 100 people as a result of explosions at a temple in Kerala, India.

A fire and explosions during a fireworks display to mark the start of the local Hindu new year killed 100 people and injured more than 380 at a temple in India´s southern Kerala state on Sunday.

Thousands of devotees had packed into the Puttingal Devi temple, about 70 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram in the coastal district of Kollam, to watch the display that started at midnight and went on four hours.

The blaze started when a cracker fell onto a shed where the fireworks were stored, sparking a string of powerful explosions that blew the roof of the administrative block of the temple and caused another building to collapse, residents said.

At least four people were killed and many others injured in Pakistan as an earthquake measuring 6.6 on Richter scale struck South Asia on Sunday.

At least two people died when tremors caused a landslide on the Karakar mountain range connecting Swat and Buner, while two others passed away in Shahqadar Shahbaz Khan Korona of district Charsadda in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when a boundary wall collapsed.

The earthquake hit parts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border, shaking buildings in the Afghan and Pakistan capitals, witnesses and the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The USGS said the quake was centred near Chitral at a depth of 210 km.

Tremors were also felt in the Indian capital New Delhi and in Kashmir, witnesses said, forcing residents to leave homes.

At least 27 people, including women and children, with minor injuries were brought to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) in Peshawar following earthquake in the province.

LRH director for accident and emergency Dr Khalid said all the injured had sustained minor wounds, adding 18 people were discharged following medical assistance at the facility.

Meanwhile, at least five people including two women and children were stuck under the rubble when a roof fell in Dogdarra area of Upper Dir.

“The roof was already made weak by the continuous rain, and collapsed during the earthquake,” police officials from the area said.

Telephone networks have reportedly been disrupted in the affected areas and an emergency has been declared at all hospitals across KP.

Pakistan is located in the Indus-Tsangpo Suture Zone, which is roughly 200 km north of the Himalaya Front and is defined by an exposed ophiolite chain along its southern margin.

This region has the highest rates of seismicity and largest earthquakes in the Himalaya region, caused mainly by movement on thrust faults.

Along the western margin of the Tibetan Plateau, in the vicinity of south-eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, the South Asian plate translates obliquely relative to the Eurasia plate, resulting in a complex fold-and-thrust belt known as the Sulaiman Range.

Faulting in this region includes strike-slip, reverse-slip and oblique-slip motion and often results in shallow, destructive earthquakes.